Moro people
The Moro people 'are the indigenous Muslims of the Philippine Archipelago, whom most live in southwestern Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago with a small community in the Quiapo district of Manila. The Moro people are those that stood through Spanish conquest through constant armed resistance against the conquistadors with the establishment of powerful sultanates in the southern Philippines. Tribes that belong to the Moro groups include the Tausūgs, Maguindanaoans, Maranaoans - who were responsible for forming sultanates, and other tribes such as the Yakans, Samals, Kalagans, Bajaus and Samas. Etymology The term ''Moro ''was a Spanish word used to refer to the Iberian Moors, the Muslims of Spain. When they arrived in the Philippines, they used the same word to refer to the Muslim natives of the islands, surprised and angered by a high Muslim presence after having defeated and expelled them from Spain. The term is still used for the Muslims of the Philippines today. History 'Ancestry and Pre-Islamic History The Moro people are Austronesian groups, and are related to Filipinos and Malays alike who are descended from southern tribes in China, mostly from Taiwan and Madagascar in Africa. Many of the Moro groups are descended from Malay, Arab and Indian migrants, especially for the inland groups such as the Maguindanaoans of Maguindanao and the Maranaoans of the Lanao region. These people were mostly Animistic and Pagan tribes. Buddhism and Hinduism arrived through Malay traders and missionaries who introduced the native royal titles rajah and datu. 'Introduction of Islam' In 1380 A.D., an Arab scholar and a judge by the name of Karim ul' Makdhum (spelled as Karimul Makhdum in Pilipino) from Mecca arrived in the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao through Borneo. Ul' Makdhum's arrival marked a dawn of Islam in the Philippines, which is a monotheistic religion that comes from the teachings of the Arabian prophet Muhammad. Its followers are known as Muslims. Makdhum was liked and loved all around in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, he stayed in the southern Philippines and died there of old age.[13] A decade later, native Muslims from the neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia arrived in the Philippines to strengthen the religion's hold of the islands. A Minangkabu prince from Sumatra by the name of Rajah Baguinda, who himself was also an Arab, arrived with his followers to the islands and preached Islam.[14] In 1500, a Malay missionary from Johor by the name of Sharif Kabungsuwan (Malay: شريف كبوڠسووان) arrived in Mindanao. Kabungsuwan's arrival further strengthened Islam in Mindanao and ensured its hold of Mindanao.[15] Islam arrived in the Manila Bay area when Bolkiah, Brunei's sultan occupied kingdoms located there - Maynila and Tondo and turned them into vassal states for the Brunei sultanate. Salila, Maynila's ruler converted to Islam and adopted the Arabic name Sulaiman. 'Rise of Muslim States in the Philippines' The rajahs and datus of western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago adopted Indo-Islamic traditions, and took the title sultan, traditional Muslim rulers who governed states known as'' sultanates''. Malay and Arabic were the two official major langauges adopted by these various sultanates and Muslim rajahnates. 'Sultanate of Sulu' In the Sulu Archipelago, another Arab and an acclaimed-descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad by the name of Sayyid Abu Bakr Abirin established the Sultanate of Sulu (Tausūg: سلطنة سولو دار الإسلام) (Arabic: سلطنة سولو) in 1457 after his fascination with the natives.[16] Abirin was actually born in the Malacca sultanate, not in Arabia. He was coronated under the name Sharif ul-Hāshim, because of his acclaimed descent from the Arabian tribe Banu Hashim. The Sultanate of Sulu was a Tausūg state that covered the Sulu Archipelago and the northern part of Borneo in Malaysia and emerged to be a major power in Maritime Southeast Asia. Provincial princes of this sultanate retained the pre-Islamic title maharaja. ''Jolo and for some time, Palawan was established as the capital of the Sulu Sultanate. 'Sultanate of Maguindanao' The Sultanate of Maguindanao started out as a Malay Muslim state, but the Maguindanaoans later emerged into a seperate ethnic group. Kabungsuwan established the Sultanate of Maguindanao (1500-1898 A.D.) with Cotabato City becoming the capital. Sharif Kabungsuwan later influenced the formation of sultanate confederations in Lanao, which were largely decentralized.17] Maguindanao was the largest Muslim state in Mindanao, spanning the entire southern half of Mindanao including the Zamboanga Peninsula. 'Confederation of Lanao Sultanates' Like Maguindanao, the Lanao natives are of Malay origin. The first Lanao sultan was crowned in 1640, a Maranaoan chief by the name of Balindong Bzar. The Lanao sultanates were uniquely decentralized and was divided into Four Principalities of Lanao, composed of sixteen royal houses. Each principality was referred to as a Pangampong, and governed by an individual with the title His Royal Highness, an actual sultan with civil powers was distinguished from a figure-head royal sultan. The capital of the Lanao Sultanates was Marawi City, which was then called ''Dansalan. 'Rajahnate of Maynila/Selurong' Manila (also known as Maynila in Tagalog and Selurong ''in Malay) became a Muslim state through its acquiring as a vassal state by Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei. After Rajah Sulaiman converted to Islam, he adopted Islamic politics into the kingdom although he never officially adopted the title "sultan" and his domain remained a rajahnate and not a sultanate. The Islamic Tagalog kingdom known as the Rajahnate of Maynila was carved out of the once Buddhist-Hindu rajahanate of the same name that splintered from the Namayan kingdom; it covered the araas of Manila Bay, the Pasig Rivera area and parts of what is today Pampanga in the Philippines. Bolkiah renamed Manila to Selurong or Seludong. Manila today is the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. 'War Against Spanish Conquest' In 1521, the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Visayan island of Mactan where he met its datu, Lapu-Lapu or Ali Pulako. Magellan had befriended the other datus and rajahs of Visayas, Humabon ordered Lapu-Lapu to submit to Spain's rule and convert to Roman Catholicism but Lapu-Lapu refused and killed Magellan in battle, although no record ever indicates Lapu-Lapu's religion despite being an acclaimed Muslim by Islamic souces it is much more likely that Lapu-Lapu was an Animist or a Hindu. Spain returned by sending conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi to conquer Luzon and Visayas, after converting their native rulers to Roman Catholicism and attacking those that refused. The Muslim natives of the Philippines actively resisted Spanish attempts to convert them to Roman Catholicism declaring a ''jihad or holy war against Spanish conquest. 'Sulayman Revolt in Luzon' In Luzon, Lakan Dula, Tondo's ruler submitted to Spain's rule and converted to Roman Catholicism and baptized as Don Carlos Lakandula. Rajah Sulaiman refused to submit to Spain's rule or convert to Roman Catholicism, but he did allow them access into Luzon for a period of time. Sulaiman eventually decided to rebel against Spain's rule, and along with Lakan Dula, waged a war against them after Spanish atrocities. Juan de Salcedo, Legazpi's grandson however signed a treaty with both Rajah Sulaiman and Lakan Dula.222. "Rajah Soliman". National Heroes. Globalpinoy.com. Retrieved February 5, 2008. Another individual by the name of Tarik Suleyman continued the revolt and waged a battle against Spain in Macabebe but because Lakan Dula had already given Spain strategic access to Luzon, Suleyman was defeated in the Battle of Bangkusay due to Spain being one step ahead.Tantingco, Robby (October 24, 2006). "First Filipino martyr for freedom". Sun Star Pampanga Tarik Suleyman's failure had initially ended Muslim resistance against Spain in Luzon, and without leaders, the other Muslim tribes of Luzon were either easily defeated in battle or converted to Roman Catholicism. There is some contrevoursy as to whether Tarik Suleyman is the same person as Rajah Sulaiman, he was alive during Lakan Dula's rule. 'Spanish-Moro Conflict in Mindanao' The Muslims of the southern Philippines also actively resisted Spanish rule and Christianization. Muhammad Dipaduan Kudarat, the fifth Sultan of Maguindanao halted Spanish missionaries into his territory and attacked Spanish garrisons in Mindanao. The sultans of Sulu also joined in the Moro resistance against Spain. The Moros conducted vicious attacks against Spanish and Filipino Christian settlements, as far north as Visayas and Manila in Luzon, a once-area Muslim region that Spain quickly converted to Roman Catholicism. The Moro raids would persist, which for some time, retained the presence of Islam in Manila. Brutal fighting between the Spanish conquistadors and the armies of Mindanao's sultans would persist for three centuries and it took Spain extensive use of its military resrouces to complete its conquest of Mindanao. The Chinese provided military aid to Sulu's armies, and Chinese pirates and rebels also aided the Moro armies of Mindanao against Spain. The success of the Moro armies would end when Spain destroyed Chinese aid to Sulu, however their holy war against Spain would continue. There were some instances when Mindanao's sultans allowed Christian missionaries into Mindanao, such as Azim ud-Din I of Sulu or Muhammad Alimuddin. His brother, Bantilan exiled him to Manila and expelled Christian and Jesuit missionaries from the sultanate. While Spain did achieve strategic success against the Moros, they had to accept the fact that the Moros would never give up their Islamic faith and would rather die to the last man rather than convert to Roman Catholicism. 'War Against American and Japanese Conquest' In 1898, the Americans defeated the Spanish armies in the Spanish-American War of the same year, acquiring the Philippine Islands. The Americans battled Filipino forces led by Emilio Aguinaldo in Luzon and defeated them. However, the Moro people waged an independant war against the Americans that had no correlation with the armed Filipino revolution against the American forces. In 1903, a band of Maranaoans attacked American troops in Lake Lanao. The Moros fought with the same weapons they had with Spain's armies, swords and daggers mostly which contributed their decisive loss in the Battle of Bud Dajo in Jolo Island. Because of the high death of woman and children, criticisms were met against Leonard Wood, the American general who led military campaigns in Mindanao.First Battle of Bud Dajo. Leonard Wood, the U.S. general responsible for campaigns in Mindanao recieved negative criticisms from the American public and Leonard Wood would control the Moro Province which became designated as Moroland. The civil powers of Mindanao's sultans declined rapidly and were given little pay. However through, Wood allowed the Moros to establish their own laws, seperate from Philippine law. Moro rulers, datus and sultans were given the roles of governers, town mayors and military leaders. In 1941, the Japanese Empire invaded the American-held Philippine Archipelago. The American soldiers stationed in the Philippines were helpless, but dedicated enough to hold the Japanese for appoximately four years until they finally surrendered Bataan which force the Filipinos to rely on insugency groups known as guerillias, these militants carried out hit-and-run style of warfare agianst Japanese bases. This type lf warfare was especially predominant with the Moros of Mindanao, who resisted Japanese rule.U.S. Army Special Operations in World War II Hogan, David W. 'Within the Republic of the Philippines' After the the Republic of the Philippines formed in 1946, after being freed from Japanese rule by the Americans in 1945, the Moros along with their Lumad counterparts in Mindanao remained seperated from mainstream Filipino society and were discriminated, because of the tendancy of Philippine politicians to favor promoting Roman Catholicism as the state religion, although the Philippines had no state religion. Their culture was ignored. The Moros of Mindanao formed several independance movements from the Republic of the Philippines.Nelly van Doorn-Harder. "Southeast Asia, Islam in." Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World. Edited by Martin, Richard C. Macmillan Reference, 2004. vol. 1 p. 647.James R. Arnold, The Moro War: How America Battled a Muslim Insurgency in the Philippine Jungle, 1902-1913 (Bloomsbury Press; 2011) 306 pages During the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, the Philippine government also promoted the mass migration of Catholics (mostly Tagalog, Cebauano and Ilocano people) to the impoverished parts of Mindanao, often settling in Muslim territory and eventually came to outpopulate the native Muslims of Mindanao. Key cities that were capitals of formers sultanates, such as Zamboanga City and Davao City became predominantly Christian cities with remaining Muslim minorities as had Manila. 'Moro Independance Movements' The Moros were poignant enough to attain their independance from the Philippines, that they formed militant groups that fought against the Filipino armed forces. In 1973, Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law which led to the creation of the Moro National Liberation Front by freedom Nur Misuari who was prominent in Mindanao. The government did offer autonomy and self-determination to the Moro people, but they rejected it and created the large militant force that current out insurgencies against Filipino Christians and Filipino soldiers. They also attacked government facilities. In 1986, Marco's succeeding president Corazon Aquino and Nur Misauri signed a cease-fire, which was brokered by Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi.Moro National Liberation Front Britannica.com In 1977, a seperate miltia force known as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Arabic: جبهة تحرير مورو الإسلامية) or the MILF, in 1984, created by Hashim Salamat and fifty seven officers from the MLNF after Misuari expelled Salamat from the MNLF. In 1987, the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao or the ARMM was created, which today consists of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi which contained the predominantly Muslim regions of Mindanao, although large pockets of Muslims lived outside of the region. Supporters of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front called this region Bangsamoro, ''the word bangsa is a Malay word for "nation" and the Spanish word for a Filipino Muslim known as the ''moro. The areas and territories claimed by supporters of the Bangsamoro state far-encompass that provinces included the ARMM and include predominantly Christian regions such as Palawan and Davao. In 1991, the Abu-Sayyaf (Arabic: جماعة أبو سياف‎) group was formed and has far-more committed more acts of terror among innocent people and has have formed alliances and connections with Indonesian militant groups such as the Laskar Jihad. 'Sabah and North Borneo Issue' On a historical level, there is another independance and armed movement that deals with the acclaimed descendants of the Sulu Sultanate, there are multiple claimants as to who belongs to the throne of Sulu, and it involves the Malaysian state of Sabah. Claimants of the Sulu Sultanate believe Sabah to be their rightful territory, but success could not be achieved since multiple militants have different goals. Supporters of the Bangsamoro support the creation of an independant state that comprises of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago and Palawan while supporters of the Sulu Sultanate also involve Malaysian claimants who are dedicated to establishing an independant state, from both the Philippines and Malaysia and other militants are dedicated to annexing Sabah as a Philippine province. Unlike the other Moro militants, those trying to reclaim and revive the Sulu Sultanate refer to themselves as the Royal Sulu Army, independant from both Moro or Filipino forces. 'Maguindanao Massacre' The horrific incident known as the Maguindanao Massacre was committed not as a result of a Muslim-Christian rivarly but rather rivalling political families in Mindanao, both Muslim families. The Ampatuans had been the powerful political family of Maguindanao and have controlled the province since 2001 and their biggest rivals were the Mangudadatu and Mastura families.UPDATED: Ampatuan Sr. loses to Mastura; Mangudadatu is new gov On November 23, 2009, 100 armed men abducted and attacked a convoy carring thirty seven journalists that was invited to Mindanao by Esmael Mangudadatu, who was the vice mayor of the Buluan municipality in Maguindanao. Most of its members were killed.Zonio, Aquilies (2009-11-24). "Inquirer man recounts harrowing tales of survival". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2009-11-25. There was also evidence of rape against the women in the convoy, four being raped before killed. Other graphic and horrific and inhumane acts of torture were committed in the attack.Solmerin, Florante S. (2009-12-04). "Lab results: 5 women showed signs of rape - /2009/december/4". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 2009-12-06. The massacre led to the expulsion of many Ampatuan family members from Philippine political groups, namely the Lakas Christian-Muslim Democras or Lakas CMD, a unified center-right political party that implements both Christian and Islamic ideology for the unification of Muslim and Christian Filipinos. Andal Ampatuan Jr., who was the mayor of the Datu Unsay municipality was charged with murder.Tran, Mark (2009-11-26). "Philippines massacre: police charge local politician with murder". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2009-11-26 Glorya Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippine president declared martial law in Maguindanao thereafter. 'Modern-Days' Today Islam is the second fast-growing religion, and is the fastest growing minority religion in the Philippines and among the Filipino people, religious conversions to Islam is becoming common, among ordinary non-Muslims to even Catholic and Evangelical priests converting to Islam."Islam in the Philippines" Retrieved 2013-9-11 The Muslims of the Philippines have somewhat experienced better in the recent days than before, as the Philippines is now encouraging and appreciating the history of Islamic culture in the Philippines. Muslims have also been put into political power in western Mindanao, these are descendants of sultans who ruled the southern Philippines and some even control predominantly-Christian cities. However, it is simply too late for many of the seperatist groups of Mindanao who still wish to established an independant Bangsamoro state and those of the Royal Sulu Army wishing to re-establish te Sultanate of Sulu. The district of Quiapo today has sizable Muslim population in Manila. Language The Moro people are mostly speakers of Austronesian languages. The most-spoken native languages of the Moro are the Maguindanaon, Tausug and Maranao languages. The Maguindanao language is spoken in the Maguindanao Province, the Maranao language is predominant in the Lanao Province and the Tausug language is spoken in the Sulu Archipelago with speakers in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Malaysian state of Sabah. Other Austronesian languages spoken by their respective tribes are the Sama-Bajau languages, Yakan and Kalagan. Spoken is also the Filipino language, which is based on a native dialect from Luzon known as Tagalog, for the sake of living in the Philippines. Because of the mass influx of Cebuano migrants in Mindanao, many of the Moros tend to be exposed to the Cebuano language from Visayan easily enough to be able to speak it, especially with the Tausūg since Tausūg is a dialect of Visayan. A sizable minority can still speak the Malay language, also an Austronesian language which was the once the lingua france the Philippine Archipelago prior to conact with Spain. Arabic, a central Semitic language is also spoken by a minority of the Moro people. Historically, amid Spanish conquest, Malay and Arabic were the lingua francas of the sultanates in Mindanao. Today, many Moro merchants use Malay to converse with citizens of the neighboring Malay-speaking nations of Malaysia and Indonesia. Most of the Malay-speaking Muslims of the Philippines are those in the southern parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula, the Sulu Archipelago and the southern predominantly Muslim-inhabited municipalies of Bataraz and Balabac in Palawan. Chavacano (sometimes spelled as'' Chabacano or ''Chabakano) is a Philippine Spanish Creole, that gained popularity as a Philippine major language during the short-lived Republic of Zamboanga. Most of the Moros have also attained the ability to speak this language, specifically the Zamboanga dialect known as Zamboangueño especially those that live in Zamboanga. Religion As you may now know, the Moro people are Muslims. Islam has been a defining aspect of Moro culture and they people work diligently to avoid religious conversions by Catholic bishops and defend Islam in the archipelago. At one point, even in Mindanao, Islam was the brink of becoming an extinct religion. During the Spanish era, Jesuit missionaries did succeed in converting clans of Tausūg and Yakan chiefs to Christianity, almost all of their descendants today have converted or reverted to Islam. The term Moro can also refer to the natives of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, there are Christians among predominantly-Muslim groups such as the Bajaus and Yakans who follow either Islam or Christianity, those who follow the un-Hispanized culture in the Philippines. Art 'Visual Art' The indigenous culture of the Moro people are well-renowned for its colorful art, especially for the groups that follow Folk Islam or still follow pre-Islamic folk practices. The Tausūg people of Sulu and the Zamboanga Peninsula are known for their colorful boats, known as vintas. The sarimanok ''is a legendary bird that dominates the art of the Maranaoan people. The Moro people were also renowned for being skilled swordsmiths, producing swords known as a ''kris ''and a dagger known as the ''barong ''(not to be mistaken for the Filipino attire of the same name). The kris sword has become a very symbolic weapon for the Moro people, the Moros had used these to fight the Spanish and American conquests. The Moro people are also skilled weavers and tailors. Women wear a traditional clothing known as a ''malong, ''which is a colorful woven cloth wrapped around the body. The patadyong is worn by both men and women, which is a lerge length of fabric wrapped around the waist, it is very similar to the ''sarongs of Indonesia and Malaysia. Maguindanaoan and Maranao men wear a headgear known as a tobao, ''which is called a ''ppis ''in Sulu which has geometric designs and Arabic calligraphy."Heritage of the Philippine Muslims" Retrievd 12-9-2013 'Music' The music of the Moro people is very indigenous and traditional, and the unifying music of the Muslims of the southern Philippines revolves around the ''kulintang, ''which is a gong ensemble popular in eastern Indonesia, Malaysia and the southern Philippines. The kulintang is commonly played with sticks like a lyre. The larger gongs, which are suspended vertically are known as ''agungs, ''which accompany a kulintang ensemble. The agung and the kulintang are people among both the Muslim and the non-Muslim groups of the southern Philippines. Dancing is a common Austronesian tradition, the groups of the Philippines and Indonesia are no exception. Filipino dances are known a ''fiestas, or sinulog, but because these tend to favor Roman Catholicism and its arrival in the Philippines, the Moros perform their own traditional dances and parades, many of them performed during weddings and festivals. The Maranaoan folk dance is known as the singkil, which is the Maranoan interpretation of the Indian epic the Ramayana. The Tausūg people perform the pangalay. As usual, these are accompanied by kulintang and agung ensembles. 'Architecture' Moro architecture is more or less influenced by Malay and mainstream Islamic architecture. Most of the earliest mosques in the southern Philippines were built of wood, until the arrival of major powers. Some Moros such as the Tausūg and Bajau people are seafaring ethnic groups that do not have a permanent settlement on land. Cuisine Notable Moros or Muslims of the Philippines Sources